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however clearly defined the powers of such a Council may be, if it is only called together in time of war or national emergency, as appears to be con- templated, it will be unable to act with such promptness as at such a time is necessary. It is therefore thought that they should be nominated during peace, and should assemble at such intervals as may appear to the Colonies concerned to be desirable. An annual sitting is suggested. Arrangements should also be made by which the Delegates from two or more of the Colonies can act, in time of war or emergency, for the whole Council in the unavoidable absence of Delegates from the other Colonies. Otherwise, no steps could be taken towards putting the plan of defence into execution until the arrival at the place of assembly of the Delegate from the most distant Colony.
9. If the Council of Australian Federal Defence be assembled as proposed in time of peace, it would then nominate the Military Head of the Federal Forces, who, it has already been suggested, should be charged with the periodical inspection of those forces. They should also nominate an officer to carry out the duties of Military Head in the event of the original nominee being from any cause incapacitated from so doing.
10. The final clause of paragraph 13 lays down that the Military Head would, in conjunction with the Commander-in-chief of the Australian Squadron, be responsible for the protection of Australia and Tasmania.
The Colonial Defence Committee think it unadvisable that the responsi- bilities of the Naval Commander-in-chief should be so defined; it might, how- ever be laid down that the Military Head in command of the troops will in war consult when necessary with the Naval Commander-in-chief on the Australian Station, or with any representative that may have been named by him to make arrangements with regard to coast defence, transport, and other matters.
(B.)—Proposed allotment of the Active Defence or Federal Field Force, based on the Population, December 31, 1893.
11. A strength of 7,493 men is proposed as the peace, and of 12,074 men as the war establishment of the Federal Field Force. The Sydney Conference considered that these establishments would answer the requirements indicated in the Scheme of Defence provided that they were organized in time of peace, and were forthcoming upon a national emergency.
The Colonial Defence Committee concur, but would observe that the former condition does not appear from the Reports of the various Military Commandants to be at present fulfilled, or to be capable of fulfilment until an effective Reserve Force is formed in each Colony by registering the names of men who have passed through the active forces, and keeping a hold over them by means of a retaining fee carrying the obligation of certain periodical drills.
(C.)—Schedules for Military Federal Organization.
12. The Sydney Conference, while agreeing to the general principles indicated in these Schedules, printed as an Appendix to their Report, were unable to decide the details involved until they had been maturely considered in all their bearings by each Commandant.
Under these circumstances, the Colonial Defence Committee do not propose to remark on the detailed organization proposed for the Federal Defence Force beyond pointing out that the system of making up small units with minute contingents from the different Colonies is not one that would help their efficient working in war. The Committee observe, however, from the Minutes of Proceedings, that this objection was not overlooked at the Con- ference, and that the advantages of the system were held to counterbalance this very serious drawback.
(D.)—Principles to be embodied in a Military Defence Act for the purposes of Australian Federal Defence.
13. The Colonial Defence Committee concur in the principles which the Conference proposed should be embodied in a draft Act for consideration of the different Colonies. They think, however, that paragraph 2 should have
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